The Tables Are Turned
by Kasey Clark
Summary: Jack gives Kate a chance to beat Sawyer at his own game.
1. Confrontation

**Title: The Tables Are Turned**

**Summary: Jack gives Kate a chance to beat Sawyer at his own game. Set before this week's episode, but will eventually lead up to it. **

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An unusual cold wind escaped off the ocean and unto everyone's bodies that particular night. I, for one, loved the chilliness. It reminded me of an ice I held within, covering so many dark secrets that only I could decifer them.

As I stood near the edge of the water, my toes barely touching the salty water, I heard someone call my name from behind.

"Kate? What are you doing? It's the middle of the night?" Turning around, I saw Jack standing a few feet away, his worn backpack slung across one shoulder.

"Guess you could call me an insomniact, but ever since we got on this island I don't get more than five hours sleep," I replied, a small smile creeping across my face. Stepping backwards, I neared the doctor, arms crossed, the moonlight relfecting off my eyes.

"Yeah, well it's not safe to be out here all alone, you should get back to your camp," Jack answered, looking off to the left, where my few personal items were, avoiding eye contact.

"Oh, right, I forgot, I'm just so helpless, I might be stolen again."

Jack finally met my gaze, frowning. We had yet to discuss what had occured that night the men went after Michael, but both of us knew it was weighing heavily on our minds. With a much colder tone of voice, the man said, "I told you not to follow us, you should have listened."

I let out a short chuckle. My anger was beginning to rise and I didn't need an arguement at the moment. The truth was, I was tired and wanted more than anything to escape the harsh comments of Jack. Sidestepping him, I charged closer to the woods and farther away from the water, hearing him call my name out in an attempt to stop me.

"Jack, listen to me. I know what I did was a mistake, but don't you think there are bigger problems right now than this, like maybe Sawyer's rampage, or Charlie's sudden madness!"

I waited impatiently for a response, something, anything to make the situation easier. Eventually, stepping closer to me, so that I could see every hair on his five o'clock shaow he said gruffly, "I know, that's why I came to talk to you."

My eyeborws shot up. "Oh really? And why's that? Need someone to cover for you while you go searching for the guns?"

Jack shook his head, looking at the ground. "No, that where you come in."

"Excuse me?"

"I saw you talking with Sawyer earlier, and I know he thinks of you as a...friend."

My confusion began to fade away as I realized what Jack was suggesting. "He won't tell me, I've already tried."

"Not everything," he replied quickly, rubbing his ching back and forth vigoursly.

"What?"

"You haven't tried everything."

"And what, exactly do you suppose I do, Jack?" The anger was returning.

"Use your, womanly skills."

My arms flailed up as Jack's words faded into the night. "You want me to seduce him into telling you where the guns are!"

"It worked with Shannon's inhalers! And don't even pretend like you don't remember, you were pretty strung up afterwards."

"I remember," I shot back quickly, regretting that event even more. "But you seemed to forget that he didn't give us the answer we wanted."

"But he gave us an answer."

"Okay, but once again, that was an inhaler, we're talking about enough guns to fill a safe! Do you know how much I'd have to do to get that?"

"I don't doubt your abilities," Jack said coldly, looking me dead in the eyes.

"Oh, how nice. I kiss you with actual meaning and you believe I'm pulling your chain." I could tell my words had cut him. As with the short lived kidnapping, we both had run away from talking about the kiss in the jungle.

"Listen, we both know he's into you. So for once, con him. Make him see how it feels to be tricked."

I waited a long while before answering. The moonlight had gone behind a group of clouds and made seeing all the more difficult. My heart wished to tell Jack I wouldn't do it, that I didn't want to jepordise what we had, but my good sense knew we needed weapons. Protection. Something to ward off the Others with. And having Sawyer be the islands only mean of security was not what they needed.

"It'll take awhile, you know. I can't just jump on him and expect him to turn everything over."

Jack nodded and began walking slowly backwards. His job was done. He'd gotten my answer. Instead of feeling good about helping him out though, I felt as if I had just sealed my fate with our relationship.

Turning his back to me, Jack answered, "Just don't take too long. You never know when our forest creatures will want another shot at you."

Merging with the trees, it soon became impossible to see Jack's figure any longer. Falling hard unto my small pallet I'd created, I brushed my unruly curly hair out of the way and contemplated waht had just happened.

I was risking everything with Jack. Deep inside I knew there were feelings for Sawyer, I'd felt them the night we hunted down his boar and the time we swam underneath the waterfall together. But the feelings for Jack were also present. His leadership ways and the way he responded to everybody's needs.

As I laid underneath my blue tarp home, images of both men ran threw my mind, preventing any chance of more sleep to come.

**tbc...**


	2. Flower Crushing

**A/N: Thanks to all who reviewed.Last chapter wasn't my best, and I felt alittle off with it, but your reviews cheered me up. So without waiting any longer, here is...**

**Chapter 2: Flower Crushing**

The previous night's cold had vanquished into an unbearable humitidty. With my knotted hair tyed up high above my neck and a water bottle in my hand, I made my way towards the forest, in the direction of Sawyer.

"Yo, Kate, hold up a sec," I heard Hurley's unmistakable voice from behind. I turned and saw the man jogging to catch up with me, his blue tshirt sticking to his body.

"Hi, Hurley. What do you need?" Holding out my water, Hurley wasted no time in thinking over the offer, gulping down half of the bottle's contents in a matter of moments.

"Do you, maybe, want me to take over your shift at thehatch? You seem to always be doing it, and I'd just thought you'd like the break."

I knitted my brows. "Did Jack ask you to do this?"

Hurley's eyes became wide. "No, no. Why? Did he say something?"

I shook my head.

"I just, wanted to do some stuff, is all," Hurley's voice trailed off to barely a whisper, his head hung low on his neck.

Fearing the man's entire body would explode from all the blushing he was doing, I quickly told him it was alright and allowed him a hasty getaway. A part of me wondered what Hurley was up to, but the more reasoning side assumed he was dealing with privacy issues and wanted the extra hours to be by himself.

Walking into the jungle, I contemplated over what I would do once I found the cowboy. If I automatically went into seduction mode, he would know I was messing with his head. I had to be sneaky. Had to start off slow.

Passing by the garden, I saw that Sun was back at work. Most of the islanders assumed the gentle woman would stay far away from the crime scene, but I knew she'd return. The qualities in Sun shocked me at times. Her gentleness, the way she loved Jin, her small way of helping the camp with her growing food. There were times I looked at her and wished I could be her and have someone love me the way her husband loved her.

Without pausing to say hello I passed by, choosing instead to look at the thick trees surrounding me. All of us had grown accustomed to where each flower was blooming and where certain roots were planted, so when I saw a small pink and white flower about a half a mile away, my mind tried to remember where I had seen it last.

As I neared the flower, I wondered for a second, if Sun could plant more like them. They truely were gorgous. It had four elongated pettles all together, with the tips being shaded a dark magenta, then becoming softer, until, in the very middle, attached to the root, it became white.

I crouched down, thinking over the best place to pull it up, when one large black boot crashed down upon, breaking apart the jungle's creation.

Closing my eyes, I stood, knowing who the flower killer was.

"Howdy, freckles. Were you lookin' at that thing under my foot?"

Without opening my eyes, I answered. "Yeah, but that's okay. I'll find more someplace else."

"Aw, shucks, isn't that nice. Why you being so nice to me today? Is it 'cuz you want a gun, or just wanting Sawyer?"

I opened my eyes and met his baby blue ones. I expected upon agreement that it wouldn't be easy, but didn't register how large of a challenge I was facing. "No matter how hard you try, Sawyer, you can't make me not like you."

"What you gettin' at, Sweet Cheeks?" Sawyer eyed me skeptically. With a short twist of his right ankle, he crunched the flower petals to a million pieces.

"The conversation after last night. The one where you made it blaintly obvious you love people hating you." Sick of seeing God's piece of art ruined, I turned and began trecking back to the beach. Sawyer, curious enough as to where to conversation was leading to, followed suit, dragging his foot in one last attempt to destroy the plant.

"Well as long as I got as a friend, I'm hunky dory, now ain't I?"

"I know you too well, Sawyer. You're just the kid in the back of class trying to give the teacher hell," I contemplated, crossing my arms and watching the man's reaction closely. "But eventually, the teacher willget fed up and send him to the principal's office."

"Or," Sawyer smirked. "He just getsinto the teacher's skirt and she never botheres him again."

"Your missing the point," I replied, shooting down his smile.

"And what's that?"

"That I can only handle your actions for so long before I stop bothering to be friends."

"Or," Sawyer pointed a finger a me. "I could just sleep with you and I'd never have to worry about you again."

My temper wanted so bad to respond to that comment with one of my own smart-ass responses, but Jack's image appeared in my mind and I knew I couldn't. I remained silent for a moment, intentionally letting Sawyer think I was contemplating the idea.

"Good analogy, Daisy. I'll have to remember that offer." Upon finishing those words, Sawyer walked ahead, leaving me to stare at his back.

"What's it from this time?" I asked as the beach came into view through the tangle of bushes.

"What is what from?" Sawyer asked impatiently, stalking over to his tent.

"Daisy. I haven't heard that one before." Setting down my near empty water bottle, I took a seat next to the man, staring at one of the survivors trying to play tick tac toe in the sand.

"Haven't you ever seen the Dukes of Hazzards?"

I focused my attention back to the job at hand and nodded slowly. "You think I'm _that_ Daisy? Wow, the island must be getting to you."

"Well, lets put you in some daisy dukes and try it out," the southerner smiled maliciously. Feeling that was my cue to leave, I rolled my eyes and stood up.

"You know, usually women wait until after the sex to leave." I ignored the comment and told him good-bye, walking through the sandtothe the tic-tac-toe player.

"You still owe me a visit to the principal's office, teacher!" I heard Sawyer call from his place. Praying no one had heard the remark, I walked briskly over to the older man.

"Need competion?" I asked sweetly, sitting down across the make believe board. The man looked up and I recognized him as Bernard, one of the fateful Tailies.

"Sure, my wife seems to be doing laundry, so I'm left to play alone."

"I'd be happy to play. Just know I can make a mean X." Laughing, Bernard made an O in the center box, a smile on his lips.

"So that man over there, the gun warden, do you like him back?" The question was asked simply, just a mere conversation starter, but I felt the usual anvil fall unto my heart when the question arose.

"I-I don't know, honestly. There's so many complications, I don't think I want to get involved."

Bernard eyed me from above his lowered lids. "All I am saying is, beach weddings are nice."

My eyes shot up higher than I realized they'd go.

Bernard wasted no time in continueing. "Whether it be with a gun stealer or a doctor, either way it would be very lovely."

"Um, sir, I understand that you and your wife are unbelievingly in love, and I get that you want everyone to feel those same feelings that you two experience, but...I'm not getting married on an island with people I've known for two months."

"I married Rose six months after we met, and I didn't see her nearly as often as you interact with these men."

I felt my head shake slowly. I wasn't sure whichidea scared me more, the idea of getting married, or the thought that'd we would be on this island long enough to secure such feelings.

"Bernard, I appreciate the thought, but I really do hope we're not here long enough for something that permanent to occur."

Placing another O in the bottom right hand corner, I saw the man draw a shaky line through all his O's. "Look's like your pretty good at this game."

Smiling, the man nodded in humble thanks at my comment. As I wiped away the game board and its imaginary pieces, Rose walked up from the forest, carrying with her a bundle of fresh clothes.

"Hi, Rose, how was laundry?" Bernard called to his wife, placing a soft kiss on his wife's lips before she dissapeared behind their shared tarp.

"Oh, it's the same. Laundry is laundry, no matter how you look at it," Rose responded, peeking her head around the corner. "Hi, Kate, how are you doing?"

"I'm great, thanks," I sent a smile to the woman, adding her to the list of women I wished to be like. She was right there underneath Sun. "Hey, Rose, while you were at the hatch, did you see Hurley acting...I don't know...weird?"

Rose returned to the open, letting out a breath of relief at having the load in her arms gone. "I saw him for a brief moment, then he was gone. But, as a matter of fact, he did act alittle rushed. Like he had to have get out a' there, and quick."

I frowned slightly. "Thanks, Rose." Glancing back and forth between the husband and wife, I could tell they wanted some privacy, so I stood up and offered Rose my position at the game. "I'm warning you though," I told Rose as she sat down. "He's one tough competitor."

Moving my feet systematically through the sand I heard Bernard's voice and turned around.

"Don't forget what I told you, Kate. Anything's possible on this island."

Thinning my lips and giving a short nod of my head, I continued on to the Hatch, convincing myself I was going to check on Hurley, when deep inside I knew I was hoping to see Jack.


	3. What Happens In The Hatch

**A/N: Just another quick thanks to everyone who reviewed or sent messages. I honestly didn't expect my first LOST fanfic to be this well-recieved. :) I apologize for not posting Chapter 3 sooner, but here it is now. Enjoy!**

**Chapter 3: What Happens In The Hatch...**

"Can you come help me with this?" Ana Lucia's deep, harsh voice asked me. In my rush to reach Jack, I overlooked the woman and almost jumped when she asked me the question.

Turning around, I saw the usual glare and lowered eyes staring at me, waiting for an answer. Loaded across her arms were piles of thick bamboo trunks, with there leaves still attached. Her uninviting brown eyes glanced at the weights in her arms, then back at me.

As much as I tried, deep inside I did not like Ana. All the islanders labeled her as a murderer, the killer of Sayid's love. But that wasn't the reason I held a small portion of rage towards her.

She wanted Jack. She swooned and comforted him immediatly upon meeting him. There were nights, after I kissed him, that I wondered if she'd already won over his heart. If she, in fact, would be the bride at the beach wedding Bernard so urgently promised.

Despite my disdain, I walked over and grabbed an end. I figured if there was something inside her Jack could love, maybe I could find it also. Struggling to keep up with Ana's fast pace I called out, "I can't stay for too long...my shift at the hatch is starting soon and I don't want to keep Jack waiting."

"Oh, don't worry, he won't mind," Ana responded without so much as turning her head.

My curiousity wanted to know what Ana meant by that, but my ego didn't want the woman to know I was interested in what she had to say.

Reaching the familiar white sand once more, I dropped my half of the load next to the ongoing stack and released a heavy sigh. The bamboo was, indeed, heavy and it surprised me that Ana had managed to carry it that far.

"Grab that knife and start cutting," Ana demanded, pointing to a fair sized weapon lodged into a piece of wood.

My small eyes widened slightly at the order. Jack hated being told what to do. I remembered his fury towards Zecke the night he forced him to throw down his guns. He was the dictator, not the soldier.

"Did I stutter?" Ana asked with a slightly annoyed tone. My eyes traveled from the knife to her and saw a matching blade in her hand. The point was no more than three feet away and in my direction.

"I told you I had to get to the hatch..."

"And I told you Jack won't care if your late."

"How would you know that? Last time I checked you were out here, with nobody to talk to," I spat back. _Calm down_, I yelled in my mind. The woman was pushing my anger to a new high and I wasn't sure how much longer I could keep it in check before an all-out cat-fight erupted.

"Listen, Ms. Flirt, I haven't done anything to you. So why are you acting like such a bitch? Is it because of Shannon, were you friends with her?"

I glared. At the time all I wanted to do was see Jack, to hear his voice, but the more the tailie spoke, the more irretible I became with him. How could he see something nice in someone so evil? She had to trick him somehow, and standing in front of her, I was determined to figure out how.

"As a matter of fact, we were all friends on this island. Everybody liked each other and got along with each other...until you came and ruined everything."

A mixture of anger and hurt flashed across Ana's eyes. "You think that I ruined everyone's lives? You think I'm responsible for Charlie going mad and Locke fighting with Jack?" As the words escaped Ana's mouth, I knew I was an idiot for saying something like that. She wasn't the one to blame for it all. She wasn't the person to point fingers at. She just made it so much easier. Killing Shannon, secluding herself, acting like a cop to everyone around, it made it so I could plant her with the reasons for so much mayham. It allowed me to put a face to the unimaginable master of the island.

"In case you've forgotten, I lost almost every single one of my friends. I lost them to the people really responsible for this hell we're living. And if you think, for one moment, that I'm going to sit back, and let you accuse me of being one of those monsters, you're wrong."

Letting out yet another sigh, I ran a hand through my hair, hating the now ever-present feeling of sand and salt water. "Ana, I'm sorry for what I said. I know you're not an Other," I paused for a moment, convincing myself that what I was doing would be what Jack wanted. The good Kate he used to respect. "I just want to stop this madness, and I looked for the easiest person to gear my anger towards."

Ana rubbed her sleeveless arm and contemplated over what I had just said. Her dark complection appeared frazzled for a minute, but just as quickly as I noticed it, she replaced with a cold stare. "You wanna know what I think? I think you might be alittle dissapointed that Shannon died. But I also think you were glad. It gave you another guy you can manipulate and play your games with," I stood speechless. "That's the real reason you don't like me. Don't you think I know? I have nothing better to do all day than watch you people scurry around, trying to make a life in this place. I see you go from guy to guy, smiling and flirting, sometimes giving them a kiss...But then you leave them and go on to the next one. Their like your puppets, you play with them until you get bored, and then you leave them there to untangle themselves until you come back for more."

My entire body was rigid. I feared moving a muscle, for I felt compelled to hit her. How could anyone say that? She knew nothing about me,and to flat out call me a tramp was out of line. Any effort to salvage our relationship was flushed away.

"Jack might be too afraid to say it, but I'm not. He's sick and tired of you using him and leaving. Do you know how many nights he's came and talked to me? About you? Everytime you pull one of your stunts, you leave him in pieces. And let me tell you this. I've waited around for you to realize what a good guy you've got on your hands, and I'm done with it. So you better make a decision, because I'm not waiting any longer."

Emotions I never knew existed rushed through me at that instant. Staring deadly into Ana Lucia's dark pit of a heart, any want to speak was taken away. Minutes I stood there, it seemed, taking in nothing of what was going on around me, just the other islander in too close of a proximity.

"You know," I gulped in the ocean air and paused, letting the breeze cool me down. "There are a million things I could say to you...but I'm not going to." Ana's eyes became thinner. "Because, I've already stepped out of line, and you have a right to think what you want-"

"It's not what I think, it's what I know!" I felt the distance become thinner as Ana's took a half step forward.

"All I'm saying is, don't wait on me. If you and Jack want to be together, go ahead. Don't let my...friendship with him stand in your way." Every inch of my body ached. The pain that seared through my heart was indescribable. My words left a poisinous taste on my lips.

Ana froze, staring at me with the slightest bit of confusion. "Friends, eh?"

"Ana, I can be mean and cruel at times, but never will I stop two people from being together. So, please, go ahead...Jack doesn't like me like that anyways."

Just as easily as I had zoned everything out, Aaron crying, Jin's unkown words, Ecko cutting wood, all the noise came flowing back into my ears once I finished my sentence to Ana. For a moment, I believed Ecko was cutting at my heart, but event that pain would have been lesser than the one I felt then.

"Fine."

Without another word word to me, Ana turned her back to me and began tearing the bamboo apart. I watched her knife sail through the air. Back and forth. Back and forth. To think that I had just given that bitch the one thing that kept me sane on the island was more than I could bear. Head held low, I started my treck to the Hatch.

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The sun was low in the sky by the time I reached the Hatch door. On a normal day, the trip would have taken much less time, but after my confrontation with Ana, I needed time to sort through my thoughts before I talked with Jack.

Darting my eyes to the fiery ball standing out against the clear blue sky I smiled softly. The sunset would be beautiful that night, and I silently hoped I'd get the chance to see it.

Eager to get the shifts changed and avoid Jack as much as possible, I pushed open the door. Before I could enter, though, the sounds of fast footsteps filled my ears.

The steps sounded heavy and unorganized. They were the sounds of someone upset and full of anger. Sensing it best to give whomever it was a quick getaway, I jumped behind a set of bushes next to the entrance.

Holding my breath, I kneeled down to where I could only be visible through the spaces inbetween branches and leaves. Not more than ten seconds after moving, Sayid's large body came into view. His hands were rubbing eachother vigourusly and I noticed something dark sticking to them.

As I continued to watch Sayid slip on by, I felt an unbearable urge rise in my body. I hadn't noticed in my hurry to hide myself I'd taken residence next to a very strong smelly flower bush. The scent had seeped into my nose and I realized the need to sneeze was growing more and more.

Holding my fingers tight against my nose, closing the airway, didn't help in the least. Sayid's feet barely passed the tree I was behind before a high-strung "Ah-choo!" escaped me.

The Middle Easterner's muscualr body went stiff and his back rigid as he turned around. Cursing myself, I stood up and walked into view, fearing the worst.

Sayid had dropped his arms and was standing as if he were a statue, frozen and emotionless. His usually full lips were pulled thin and his eyes had a fire in them I'd never known Sayid could master.

"Hi, Sayid," throwing him a small smile, I could see that my run-in with him could not have come at a worser time.

"Kate, what are you doing here?" the now-common accent rang out. Sayid's voice matched his demeanor, only harsher.

"My shift's about to begin. I'm sorry, I didn't mean to hide from you that way. I wasn't eavesdropping or anything..."

"How long have you been there?"

"Only since I heard you come this way. I wasn't sure who it was, and it sounded to me like they, you, were mad. I just wanted to avoid another confrontation."

"Is that all?" The question was asked almost immediatly barely a second after I said my last word.

"Yes," I nodded my head. "Hey, by the way, I thought Locke and Jack were on the Hatch. Did you switch off with them or something?"

Sayid chest rose and fell heavily as he stared back into the Hatch. Watching his eyes, I noticed they weren't focused at anything around him, but were lost in his own thoughts and memories. He waited several agonizing seconds before answering my question. "No, I did not switch shifts. Kate, Jack does not need you tonight. Locke and him will do fine. You can go back to the beach."

"What about Hurley? Was he here? Is that why I don't need to do a shift?"

"Hurley? No, I did not see Hurley."

"But he was supposed to take my spot. Has Jack seen him?"

"I do not know," Sayid said impatiently.

My eyes narrowed. It seemed that there was no concern towards Hurley in his emotions as he talked with me. Looking into the Dharma building, I asked, "Is something going on down there?" Suspecious, my gaze traveled to Sayid's hand and I realized what was on his fingers.

Blood. Not a lot. But enough. Enough to scare me. Enough to get my nerves raised. Sayid saw my expression and followed my line of sight. Holding his hands, palm out, in front of him, he caught my full attention.

"I would like to tell you where this blood came from, and who's it belongs to. But I cannot. All I ask of you is that you do not go in the Hatch." My brows knitted, frustrated.

"I promise, if you do this one thing for me, I will tell you why. But right now I need to make sure this is kept as secret as possible."

"But, Sayid, you know I can keep it secret. I swear."

Sayid held up a hand to stop me. "I know. But that is not the reason I am keeping this from you. I am too distraught right now to attempt and talk about it. You must take my word. I promise."

I forced my head in an upwards and downwards motion, although it wanted to to shake the other way. To tell Sayid that it wasn't alright. That my curiousity was almost too much to handle and I needed to know. At that moment I had to know. Right then. But a glance into the man's eyes washed away the urge. I saw sorrow and weariness taking over his soul.

Walking a few steps away from the door, I turned my head back to the Arabic. "Sayid, if you need to, talk, or anything...I'm here for you."

Flashes of us standing on the beach before Sayid had left went through my mind as I walked off, leaving him to his own struggles. That day had seemed years ago. So much had occured since then.

As I moved through the forest I almost wished I was back to talking with Sayid. Back to when Jack could talk to me and Sawyer was nothing but innocent fun. Back before the Hatch was opened and the button had to be pushed. Back before Walt was kidnapped. Back before the tailies found us. Back before Ana Lucia had discovered Jack.


End file.
